Electoral Act: Resign now, APC tells Amaechi, Malami, Ngige others

.’We’ve not released time table for primaries’

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress, APC has asked its members who are political appointees to comply fully with the intendment and letters of the Electoral Act and vacate their positions in government.

The party also denied the time table of the party primaries in circulation even as it said the party is still working on the times which it said will be published as soon it is concluded.

The new Electoral Act forbids political appointees to vie for elective positions while still in office. It however stated that such appointees can only be eligible if it resigns such position at least a month to the party primaries.

Notable appointees of President Muhammadu Buhari who are eyeing elective offices include minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Minister of State for Education, Nnaemeka Nwajuba, Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige and Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele amongst others.

APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka while addressing the press after the meeting of the National Working Committee of the party on Wednesday said, “the ministers are members of the party. And the party is the party. Now, both the ministers and other appointees and the party leadership have excellent counsel and guidance. I am sure everyone involved intends to comply fully with the intendment and letters of the Electoral Act.”

Speaking on the outcome of the NWC meeting over what is being circulated in the social media over fix dates for party primaries, the NPS said, “Today the 6th of April, 2022, the NWC of the APC have met and we just rose from that meeting. Among other topics covered as you would probably expected, we discussed the program for our party’s primaries looking at the schedule of activities that is to come. I am unable to give you a run down of the details of that schedule because that is is still in discussion and we are yet to conclude on a definite plan or timetable or schedule for our primaries.  But, I can confirm that we did have that conversation today.  We begin it today.  But we have not concluded or made any decision.”

On if the primaries would still hold up on the 3oth of April, he said, “Well, we have not put up any information into the public space about the schedule of our primaries. But what I am confirming to you is that we have that discussion.  And it is still in progress. And as soon as the details are concluded, and a decision is made, you will be the first to see or hear about it.”